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Perth Metronet: FAL, TCL, MEL, Line Extensions & Grade Separations

627K views 4K replies 270 participants last post by  DresdenLine6 
#1 ·
There's been a bit of discussion in the Perth forums lately about making a thread here regarding Perth's urban transit. Alas, most of us are lazy, so I thought I'd give it a go. Transperth oversees the runnings of the public transit system, and unlike a lot of other capital cities, the entire system is publicly owned. Perth's ticketing is largely based around the SmartRider, which works on all forms of public transport. 170,500 people ride the train system alone every day.



At the moment, the rail system currently has 5 lines, all named after their respective destinations (Fremantle, Thornlie, Armadale, Clarkson and Midland). When the Mandurah line is finished, there will be 6 lines and the entire size of the network will have been doubled. Plans are also in the works to create a new line to the International Airport in the East of the city. Our Planning and Infrastructure minister wants the domestic and international terminals to merge (as the domestic terminal can't currently handle the amount of traffic it takes) and for the line to be constructed within 5 to 10 years. The options are to either build the line under the airport, have the line follow the airport boundaries before entering to the south, or connect it to a possible light rail system.





Construction of the Mandurah line involved:
* 81.5 route kilometres and 163 track kilometres of narrow gauge railway
* 2.8 million cubic metres of earthworks
* 252,000 concrete sleepers
* 15,200 tonnes of 50kg rail track
* 650 tonnes of 60kg rail track
* 22 kilometres of slab track
* 145,000 cubic metres of ballast
* 1,690 precast concrete masts
* 163,000 cubic metres of concrete with 22,300 tonnes of reinforcement
* 20 bridges and structures
* 15 stations
* 5,400 car bays
* 40 lifts
* 40 escalators
* 3 electrical feeder stations (25KV a.c power)

Needless to say, the MetroRail is a massive piece of infrastructure.
Here's a few pictures/spiel about it. Addition information can be found at
http://www.newmetrorail.wa.gov.au
A video regarding the entire project can be found at:
http://www.newmetrorail.wa.gov.au/NMR/video/Video_NMR_web.wmv (7min 42sec)

The new william st platforms:




The platforms are under this building, which has just started construction:
one40william.


There'll also be a connection to this building that's going up
Raine Sq.


With the completion of the underground station, new developments will begin on the train yards beside Perth Central.


It's all got to do with the whole TOD mindset, which the WA government has become a big fan of. They want to make the city easily accessible, and hide the rail lines with new, eco friendly, dynamic developments.

Esplanade Station is also underground, when it's completed, it will provide transport to the proposed foreshore development as well as the PCEC.


Renders of the Western Foreshore:








Latest Article:

Next step to Perth’s foreshore development


12/5/07

The State Government has committed $2million to advance the Mounts Bay development which will transform the Swan River foreshore into an entertainment and tourist hub.

Over the past three years, urban designers from the Department for Planning and Infrastructure have done extensive traffic modelling and urban planning to develop the proposal.

Planning and Infrastructure Minister Alannah MacTiernan announced the seed funding that would allow LandCorp to proceed with the next stages of the proposal including:

detailed geo-technical study on ground conditions;
developing the final plan through community consultation;
obtaining planning approvals; and
developing the business case for stages of the development.

“Mounts Bay has the potential to become one of the most significant tourism projects ever undertaken in Western Australia,” Ms MacTiernan said.

“This is a unique opportunity to work towards creating a vibrant new precinct on the under-utilised river foreshore and enhancing Perth’s image as a world-class capital city.

“We want to include a mixture of public spaces, hotels, apartments, offices, restaurants, cafes, bars and shops that would ensure Mounts Bay is a living, breathing place beyond city office hours and peak tourism periods.”

The Minister said the studies undertaken by LandCorp would include a detailed assessment of the site conditions to firm-up costs of the proposal prior to the 2008 State Budget discussions.

The first stage of the project would focus on the William Street corridor from Mounts Bay Road to the river and the waterfront between William Street and Barrack Square.

Perth Lord Mayor Dr Peter Nattrass said Mounts Bay had the potential to reconnect Perth with the Swan River foreshore.

“The importance of this site demands that the right balance is reached in developing along the river, while maintaining its natural beauty,” Dr Nattrass said.

Ms MacTiernan said broad community engagement on the design would commence during the planning process.

“The Government is delighted with the support already shown for this project by the City of Perth, business community, the tourism industry and the wider community since initial concepts were made public recently,” she said.
http://www.mediastatements.wa.gov.au/media/media.nsf
The government's also planning a light rail system for Perth, as it's desperately needed. The proposal's gaining momentum as it all fits in nicely with the government's 'Network City' plan, so I think we might just get it. At the moment our Mayor is in Canberra asking for the money to do it (along with all the other lord mayors who are also asking for money) -considering that Perth holds a lot of marginal seats, he really should cough up the cash.

I'll leave it to the other Perf forumers to carry on from what I've started...
 
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#599 ·
It's a good deal compared to Sydney's $16 daytripper!
 
#604 ·
Holy sh!t just open this thing already... the signs that used to be up at the Bullcreek station said the trains would commence November 2006 or something! Argh!!

I know all Perthites are hoping the SSR will kickstart a continuous wave of investment in rail infrastructure - but after about 5 years of planning and development with this one about to go online, and the huge lead time and public consultation required for projects of this size - they better get a move on with the next one!!

What will be the next addition to the rail network after SSR? Perth toMorley? Perth to Ellenbrook? Freo to Coogee? Thornlie to Freo???
 
G
#605 ·
I went and had a look at the William St under ground station yesterday for the first time. I was waiting for my Armadale line train so had time to check it out.

I didn't feel like I was in Perth. It's an excellent layout. Would be good with a simple food vendor or 2 down there, with all that spare space on the level above the platform.

I was fortunate enough to have trains come in on both sides at the same time. I think the platform is ample space and I can't get what they are going on about with crowding. I have seen smaller platforms in much larger cities.

Those trains are so cool coming out of and going into those tunnels. Please give us a city loop within 20 years - that would be awesome.
 
#610 ·
Hahaha.

The chances of those happening are a lot more than Freo-Coogee, which is so not needed. Apparently Westrail asked Transperth if they wanted access to those tracks to upgrade and run pass trains on and they said no.
 
#617 ·
And what ratio of normal passengers to bogans would use such a service?
 
#625 ·
Those Scania DABs as in the second pic have been gone from the CATs for a while. Volgren Merc O500LEs have replaced them, they are the same as what Transperth is replacing the normal route fleet with.
 
#627 ·
What next

Where to now I wonder- Perhaps some small extensions- Byford- Swan View.
Or what about Bunbury Interurban?
I did hear somewhere that they reserved some land for a possible future extension to Bunbury.
Cost wise I assume a single track with a few passing loops at Stations would be sufficient.
Dare I say perhaps not even Electric to cut costs ect.
I see where in Germany they run these Hybred Railcars- They run Electric under the wires and then Diesel where the overhead stops.

ONWARD TO BUNBURY--- THEN BUSSTETON-- THEN FLINDERS BAY--
TRAINS USED TO GO EVEN THERE WAY BACK.
 
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